Bird Checklists of the United States

Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuge

Pingree, North Dakota

Welcome

Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) was established by Executive Order
in 1935 as a refuge and breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife.
This 15,934 acre refuge straddles the James River and encompasses a diversity
of habitats - lakes, marshes, grasslands, wooded coulees, and cultivated fields.
As the James River meanders throughout the Refuge, it passes through four main
water areas - Arrowwood, Mud, and Jim Lakes, and DePuy Marsh. Water levels within
the three naturally occurring riverine lakes and the DePuy Marsh are now controlled
by structures at their outlets.

Arrowwood NWR is managed primarily to attract waterfowl. The Refuge also
has excellent nesting habitat for ducks, geese, grebes, shorebirds, and numerous
upland songbirds. The Refuge attracts thousands of ducks, geese, and swans
during spring and fall migrations, Canada geese usually arrive in mid-March.
Mallards and northern pintails follow shortly thereafter, while flights of
snow geese usually reach their peak in mid-April. Wood ducks and hooded mergansers
nest in the many nesting boxes placed along the lakes and wetlands. Western
grebes can be observed on lakes doing their mating dance in late May and early
June. Extensive beds of sago pondweed in the lakes attract large numbers of
swans and diving ducks, especially canvasbacks, during the fall migration.
Visitors can also enjoy migrating shorebirds as well as resident species of
wildlife, such as the sharp-tailed grouse, in a natural setting.

How to use your checklist

The following list includes 266 birds. The 124 species that nest on the Refuge
are noted with a bullet (*). Most of the species listed here are seen on the
Refuge. Those species known to occur in the vicinity, but not actually sighted
on the Refuge, are noted in italics. All Species names are in accordance with
the American Ornithologists' Union. 1998. Checklist of North American birds.
7th ed. Am. Ornithol. Union, Washington, D.C. For clarity, some of the
former names are shown in parentheses.

Seasons

Since many birds are migratory, their seasonal occurrence and relative abundance
are noted as follows:

c - common; certain to be seen in suitable habitat
u - uncommon; present, but not certain to be seen
r - rare; may be present, but not most years
* - birds that nest on the Refuge
# - threatened and endangered species in the United States.